Page turning device



Dec. 29, 1970 ECASTAGNA man mmm; nvrcn Filed sept.

4 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR; John F. Castagna um s.

ATTORNEY ngc. "29, im)

Filed sept. s. 1963 lFlea J. F. CASTAGNA PAGE TURNING DEVICE 4 sheets-sneet 2 Dec. 29, 1919 J. F. CASTAGNA PAGE TURNING DEVICE 4 Sheets--Sheeil 3 Filed Sept. 5. 1968 I Da-29,1970 J. F. CASTAGNA j 3,550,296

4 PAGE TURNING DEVICE Filed Sept. 3, 1968 4-Sh8etS-Sheet 4 FIG.6

United States Patent O M 3,550,296 PAGE TURNING DEVICE John F. Castagna, 835 Remsen Ave., Brooklyn, N.Y. 11236 Filed Sept. 3, 1968, Ser. No. 757,030 Int. Cl. G09f 1]/06 U.S. Cl. 40-104 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A device for turning the pages or leaves of a book, newspaper or the like in either direction, utilizing pivoted arm members operating in conjunction with suction means and arranged to engage and then progressively disengage the turned page or leaf. The device may be adapted for use with the pages or leaves being turned about a horizontal axis as well as the usual substantially vertical axis.

BACKGROUND OF T HE INVENTION A number of devices have been proposed for turning the pages or leaves of a book, music, newspaper or the like. However, it has been found that such known devices have a number of disadvantages. Thus they may be of complicated construction and therefore expensive to manufacture. They may require excessive maintenance to insure good working order. Also, they may be non-uniform in their operation.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved page turning device which is of relatively simple construction, is inexpensive to manufacture, requires little maintenance and is operable in a simple manner with a high degree of efficiency.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described which includes pivoted tubular arm members which also function as suction conduits, such arm members being movable in paths for engaging and disengaging the page of a book or the like, at appropriate points in the travel of the arm members.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the character described which will be effective to turn the pages of a book or the like, when such book is normally positioned with the axis of its spine or bound portions extending horizontally or vertically.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved page turning device comprising tubular arm members arranged for pivoted movement in a path related to the path of movement of a turning page, the arm members including suction means for engaging a page to turn the same, the angular movements of the arm members and the turning page being so related that the suction means will have a sliding movement over the engaged page and will disengage the page at predetermined angular positions of the page and arm members, the disengaged page then being in a position such that it may continue its movement freely to the end off its travel.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a casing in its closed condition for carrying a page turning device embodying the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the casing in its open condition and indicating the essential parts of the page turning device;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view thereof;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a casing for another embodiment of the invention;

IFIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the page turning device in its open, ready to operate position; and

3,550,296 Patented Dec. 29, 1970 ICC FIG. 6 is a top plan view showing the essential operat- 1ng elements ofthe device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS One form of the page turning device embodying the lnvention is shown in FIGS. 1-3. The same comprises a casing 10 having a back wall 11, a bottom wall 12, a top wall 13, end walls 14, 15 and a front wall 16 which is hinged along the bottom edge thereof to a forward edge portion of bottom wall 12, as at 17. The front wall 16 provides cover means for casing 10, in the closed position thereof, while in its open, substantially horizontal position it supports a book or the like 18 whose pages or leaves 19 are to be freely turned upwardly or downwardly about the spine portion 20 thereof.

Cover 18A of book 18 is positioned on open wall 16 with its spine portion 20 adjacent hinge 17. The other cover 18B of book 18 is disposed within casing 10 and is tilted rearwardly towards back wall 11. The spine portion 20 of book 18 includes a spiral wire, molded plastic or other known forms of page binding which permits easy turning movement of the individual pages or leaves 19 of book 18, and generally indicated at 21.

Means is provided for turning pages 19 of book 18 upwardly from a horizontal position thereof, or downwardly from a horizontal position thereof, or downwardly from a vertical or substantially vertical position thereof. To this end there is provided a pair of U-shaped tubular arm members 23, 24 which are pivotally mounted on casing 10 and are of suitable dimensions correlated to the dimensions of pages 19.

Arm member 23, having parallel side arms 25, 26 and a transverse arm portion 27 connecting arms 2S, 26; has outturned end portions 28 of arms 25, 26 pivotally mounted in brackets 29 which are aixed to the inner surface of front wall 16 adjacent side edges 16A thereof and somewhat forwardly of hinge 17, the side arms 25, 26 being slightly spaced outwardly of adjacent edges of pages 19. Suction outlets 30 extend from transverse arm portion 27 at spaced points, for the purpose later appearing. The arm member 23 is thus adapted to move between a horizontal position thereof adjacent the inner surface of front wall 16, and a vertical position adjacent casing back wall 11.

Arm member 24, having parallel side arms 31, 32 and a transverse arm portion 33 connecting arms 31, 32; has outturned end portions 34 of arms 31, 32 pivotally mounted in brackets 35 which are xed to bottom casing wall 12 at points rearward of hinge 17. Suction outlets 36 extend from transverse arm portion 33 at spaced points, for purposes later described. Arms 31, 32 are adapted to project outwardly of casing 10 to allow for pivoted movement of arm member 24 between vertical and horizontal positions thereof; arms 31, 32 clearing arms 25, 26 of arm member 23.

Pivoted movement of members 23, 24 is provided by means of pulleys 37, 38 respectively, which are suitably mounted on horizontal axes within casing 10 adjacent end wall 14 thereof. Pulleys 37, 38 are belted to small combination electric motors and suction pumps 39, 40 respectively, suitably mounted within casing 10 adjacent end wall 14 thereof.

Links 41, 42 are pivotally connected at their forward ends to arm portions 25, 31 of members 23, 24, as at 43, 44 respectively while their rear angular crank shaped portions 45, 46 are pivotally connected to appropr1ate portions of pulleys 37, 38. Flexible conduits 47, 48 connect pumps 39, 40 to members 23, 24 through brackets 29, 35 respectively to provide suction conditions at outlets 30, 36 of said members 23, 24.

Switch means generally indicated at 49 is suitably connected in circuit with motors 39, 40 and a power supply line 50 which may be plugged into the usual power outlet, not shown, provides control means for selectively actuating members 23, 24 through suitable operation of switch elements 49A, 49B.

Assuming that page 19A of book 18 is to be lifted from a horizontal position to a vertical position, to thereby turn the same, switch element 49A is operated to energize motor-pump 40 which is effective to pivot member 24 from its normally vertical position indicated in dot-dash lines at A, through crank pulley 38 and link 42 to a horizontal position indicated in dot-dash lines at B, where suction outlets 36 are effective to engage page 19A.

Continued rotation of crank pulley 38 causes reverse pivoted movement of member 24 toward its normal vertical position, moving the page 19A therewith. However, with the lateral displacement of the binding axis 20 relative to the pivot axis of member 24, the different angular movements of member 24 and page 19A causes suction outlets 36 to slide over the surface of page 19A toward the top edge thereof and at a point C in the travel of member 24 and page 19A, suction outlets 36 will lose contact with page 19A. At this point, page 19A is located to the left of the vertical, looking at FIG. 3, thus allowing page 19A to continue its movement in a counterclockwise direction toward book cover 18B.

If a page 19 is to be turned in the opposite direction, i.e. from its normally vertical position to a horizontal position, switch element 49B is operated to activate member 23 which will move from its normally horizontal position indicated at D, FIG. 3 to a vertical position indicated at E to engage through suction outlets 30 the page 19. The continued rotation of crank pulley 37 will be effective to reverse the pivoted movement of member 23 causing the same to move engaged page 19 downwardly and to disengage said page 19, as described above at a point F, allowing page 19 to continue its downward movement toward cover 18A.

In another embodiment of the invention, shown in FIGS. 4-6, the page turning device may be applied to a book, newspaper, magazine, brochure or the like positioned with its binding in a tilted vertical position to allow the pages to be turned about a vertical axis.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 4, the same may be enclosed in a casing 60 comprising hinged sections 61, 62 which may be opened up and suitably supported on leg members 63, FIG. to present laterally related supporting surfaces 64, 65. A book or newspaper 66 is positioned on supporting surfaces 64, 65 with the usual spring bar 67 at the binding axis thereof to hold the same in place and to allow all pages to be turned.

The page turning means comprises a pair of U-shaped tubular arm members 68, 69 mounted in inverted positions in casing sections 61, 62, and projecting outwardly of the top thereof. Member 68 comprises horizontal, telescoped sections 68A, 68B which may be extended or retracted to suit the dimensions of the pages of book 66. Outer section 68A has a short downwardly turned portion 70 at its outer end, which terminates in a suction outlet 71.

Section 68b of member 68 has a downwardly turned portion 72 at its outer end, which is suitably mounted in bracket means, not shown, to provide a vertical pivotal axis for the member. An offset portion 73 at the lower end of portion 72 is pivotally connected to one end of a link 73A, which is connected at its other end to a crank member 74.

Crank member 74 is fixed to a drive gear 75 which meshes with a gear 76 connected to a combination motorsuction pump 77; a flexible conduit 78 connecting the pump with member 68 by way of portion 73.

Member 69 is similarly arranged for pivoted movement with associated elements corresponding to those associated with member `68, described above and carrying corresponding primed reference numerals. Members 68, 69 are selectively operated through suitable switch means, similar to that described above, to energize the appropriate motor-suction pump 77, 77', to pivot said members into page engaging relation, with continued movement thereof to move the engaged page by way of suction outlets 71, 71' from left to right, or from right to left, as desired.

As indicated in FIG. 6, the offset relation of the pivotal axes of members 68, 69 relative to the binding axis of book 66, causes the suction outlets 71, 71 to slip off the engaged surfaces of the pages at point C' when member 68 is in operation; and similarly when member 69 is in operation. As previously described, the switch control, not shown, is used to select the particular member 68 or 69 for operation in accordance with the direction of page turning desired.

In the case of a book, clamps 80, 80 on supporting surfaces 64, may be used to hold the covers of the book in place.

I claim:

1. A device for turning the pages of a book comprising a base, page turning means mounted on said base for angular movement about an axis parallel to and in displaced relation to the longitudinal axis of the binding of said book, said page turning means comprising a U- shaped member disposed in one position thereof outwardly of the boundary of the pages when said pages are at rest and movable between said one position and a second position, suction means on said member, means for moving said member in one direction from said one position thereof to the other position thereof to dispose a portion of said member in adjacent relation to portions of a selected page and to bring said suction means in engaging relation with said page portions, said moving means being thereafter operative to move said member in the opposite direction together with the engaged page to move said member towards the one position thereof, the concurrent relative angular movements of said member and the engaged page being different whereby said suction means has slidable movement relative to said page and disengages said page at predetermined angular positions of said member and said page before said member returns to the one position thereof.

2. A device as in claim 1 wherein said base comprises a casing having a hinged front wall cover member movable between a closed vertical position and an open horizontal position, said book being supported on said cover member in its open horizontal position with the axis of the binding of the book being parallel to the hinge axis of said cover member to thereby allow the pages of said book to be turned between horizontal and vertical positions thereof.

3. A device as in claim 1 and further including second page turning means mounted on said base for angular movement about an axis parallel to and in displaced relation to the longitudinal axis of the binding of said book, the axes of angular movement of said first and second page turning means being respectively on opposite sides of the axis of said book binding, said second page turning means being movable between two positions thereof, suction means on said second page turning means, means for moving said second page turning means from one position to the other position thereof to dispose said second page turning means in adjacent relation to portions of a page of said book and to bring the suction means associated therewith in engaging relation to said last mentioned book page, said second page turning means being thereafter operative to move in a direction opposite to the direction of its previous movement together with the engaged book page toward the one position of said second page turning means, the concurrent relative angular movements of said second page turning means and the engaged book page being different whereby the suctionI means associated with said second page turning means has slidable movement relative to the engaged book page and disengages said book page at predetermined angular positions of said second page turning means and said book page before said second page turning means reaches the one position thereof.

4. A device as in claim 3 wherein said base comprises book support means in tilted relation to the vertical, the book being mounted on the support means with the axis of the book binding in a substantially vertical position, to thereby allow for lateral turning of the pages of said book, the axes of movement of said rst and second page turning means being disposed in parallel relation to 6 the axis of said book binding and respectively on opposite sides thereof.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner 10 L. R. OREMLAND, Assistant EXaminel' U.S. Cl. XR. 

